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U.S., Iran Trade Strikes In 13th Straight Night Of Attacks; House Democrats Break Ranks, 100+ Vote To Block U.S. Aid to Israel; Tonight, White House Correspondents' Dinner Do-Over With Bolstered Security; Confrontations Between Philippines And China In The South China Sea; Singer Chris Brown Enters Guilty Plea Over London Nightclub Fight; NYPD Evaluating Possible Hate Crime After Unprovoked Stabbings. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired July 24, 2026 - 13:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:30:33]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": New waves of attacks in the Middle East as the U.S. and Iran appear no closer to resuming their ceasefire. Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan all say they intercepted Iranian strikes today, which Iran's state media claims targeted U.S. assets in those countries. It comes after the U.S. launched its 13th night in a row of strikes on Iran.

President Trump is signaling that he's not yet ready to negotiate with Tehran. And we've also learned that President Trump is planning to host Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday. That is according to the prime minister's office.

We're joined now by Democratic Congressman and Marine veteran, Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts. Congressman, first, this funding request from the Pentagon, $67 billion in supplemental funding that the administration is requesting, is that funding necessary to replenish stockpiles of U.S. munitions?

REP. JAKE AUCHINCLOSS (D-MA): Good afternoon. What's necessary is for Congress to stop this failed and illegal war. The president is failing not just operationally, but also ideologically. Operationally, he's giving to Tehran a new strategic deterrent in the form of chokepoint control over the Strait of Hormuz. And ideologically, even more damaging, they are trying to defeat a regime that relishes martyrdom by killing them.

That does not work because the regime is actually drawing more popular legitimacy in being seen as fighting the great Satan and defeating the great Satan.

KEILAR: The funds, I mean, I'm assuming, and obviously you have been very critical of the administration and how it has prosecuted this war. That aside, I mean, I'm assuming that just picking up and going home, you don't see that as a possibility at this point in time.

Does the military need that money in order to continue operating and keep troops safe? What do you think?

AUCHINCLOSS: I do see it as a possibility to immediately end this war because the other possibility is a quagmire that rhymes with the debacles with Iraq and Afghanistan. And Americans do not want to get drawn down yet more quicksand of forever wars in the Middle East. What Congress needs to do is continue to ratchet up the pressure through war powers resolutions to end this war and to recognize that because of this president's foolishness, there will be a degraded state of affairs in the Middle East, that the status quo may actually be worse than it was before this war was started.

But if there can be negotiated transit through the Strait of Hormuz, then the status quo may have to persist until there's a new president who can actually be trusted to handle affairs in the Middle East because this one certainly can't.

KEILAR: So the four service members who were killed in the Iran war over the weekend were removed from the Pentagon's casualties website. The number stood at 18 Wednesday. Yesterday, it was 14. And a spokesperson pointed to a, quote, "temporary data disruption," called the incorrect number anomalies. Does that explanation pass muster to you?

AUCHINCLOSS: In a normal administration, I would give them the benefit of the doubt for claimed technical glitches. With this administration that has launched an illegal war without seeking authorization from Congress, that has expelled reporters from Pentagon briefings, and that gaslights and lies to the American public, no, I don't give them the benefit of the doubt. I think they're lying.

KEILAR: You served in Helmand Province, Afghanistan in 2012, which is of note because it was a highly volatile place at a particularly volatile time in that war. So I want to get your reaction as a combat veteran to something that Secretary Hegseth said this week as he was testifying on the Hill. And this was in response to Democratic Senator, Gary Peters saying, quote, and this is Peters who said this, quote, "The Trump administration's efforts have been an utter and complete failure to win this war to this point." This is what Hegseth said in response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: I think your characterization of this incredible effort as a failure is reckless, and I think it's irresponsible. And I think it smears the sacrifice of the troops.

SEN. GARY PETERS, (D-MI): You, sir, are the failure, not the men and women who are on that front line, not the men and women who hold up their honor with distinction.

[13:35:00]

But if there's a lack of a winning strategy, they're in harm's way. Their leaders have failed them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Does criticizing the Trump administration's efforts in this war smear the sacrifice of service members, as the secretary said? How do you see it?

AUCHINCLOSS: No, it does not. I stand squarely with Senator Peters. A true interest in the welfare of our service members, a true patriotism requires that you stand against failed, reckless, feckless actions by leaders in Washington, D.C.

This type of groupthink, this type of sunk cost bias, this type of sophomoric strategy is going to get more service members killed unless Republicans in the House and the Senate find their spine, join the war powers resolutions, and end this war.

KEILAR: Last week, you were among more than 100 Democrats who voted to block billions of dollars in military aid to Israel. This is an effort that ultimately failed. As your party, we see it openly grappling with divisions on the U.S.-Israeli relationship and what it should look like, and the role of AIPAC money in elections. Do you see room in the Democratic Party for vocal supporters of Israel?

AUCHINCLOSS: Yes, I'm a supporter of the U.S.-Israel alliance. We have long history, we have shared interests, we have common values. I view that vote not as an anti-Israel vote, I view that vote as an anti-war vote, because that is foreign military financing for materiel that advances a war that this president has bypassed Congress on, both in authorization and appropriations.

I will not vote for a single penny, I will not vote for any support for this failed and illegal war. And I think that foreign military financing is a grant of trust, not only to the president, but to counterparty heads of government. And that grant of trust has been violated by Netanyahu and Trump.

KEILAR: Do you see room in the Democratic Party for vocal critics of Israel?

AUCHINCLOSS: Yes, criticism of Israel, criticism of the United States government, criticism of our allies, we need to have a full and fulsome debate about foreign and domestic policy, where there is not room in the Democratic Party is for anti-semitism, for bigotry, for hate. There, we need to draw a sharp line.

KEILAR: Congressman Jake Auchincloss, thanks for being with us.

AUCHINCLOSS: Good afternoon.

KEILAR: So ahead tonight, President Trump is set to dine with journalists at the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner. And the Secret Service says the threat level has only grown since an alleged gunman rushed that dinner when it was initially -- initially they tried to hold it back in April.

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[13:42:20]

BRIAN ABEL, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": The White House Correspondent's Dinner is set for a do-over tonight with beefed-up security after the first one ended in gunfire. And today, the Secret Service says the threat has only grown in recent months. The dinner in April was shut down after government rushed through a Secret Service screening checkpoint, you see it here, on the floor above where the dinner was being held and then he opened fire.

President Trump scheduled to speak at tonight's event, but the first lady, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not attend this time around. Let's discuss all of this with Donell Harvin and he's a former Head of Homeland Security and Intelligence for Washington, D.C. Also a member of the faculty at Georgetown University Emergency and Disaster Management.

And Donell, the Secret Service says its security worked back in April, but the event did get derailed. What lessons did the Secret Service need to learn from that April incident and what should be different about the security plan this time around?

DONELL HARVIN, FORMER HEAD OF HOMELAND SECURITY & INTELLIGENCE, WASHINGTON, D.C.: Yeah. Work is doing a lot of work here, pun intended, in terms of the Secret Service's statement. A, they haven't released publicly any after-action report about what happened. There's some publicly available information about how this individual, who was acting alone, was able to infiltrate that security.

I'll be honest with you, individual with no background and penetrating security or, you know, tactical and military training should have never gotten that close. And so while the end result is yes, this individual was interdicted. No one was severely hurt. Although a Secret Service agent did take a bullet to his ballistic vest. I think there's a lot of things that could be learned, particularly some threat environment.

You know, it's not lost on us that we're having this conversation with the backdrop of a Secret Service agent being placed on administrative leave just yesterday, as reported, because of leaking information. And so, what this tells me is that the Secret Service is at about a decade of scandals and security lapses that I think calls for some type of culture change or a total recall, in my opinion.

ABEL: And tonight's dinner will be in a different hotel this time around, the Waldorf Astoria which has room for less than a third of that April gathering. How does the venue change impact security here?

HARVIN: What clearly helps from a security standpoint be able to vet a smaller amount of people, that venue was a little bit difficult to control clearly because an individual that was staying at the hotel, but was not permitted to come into that area was able to. And so they're allowed -- they're able to set up multiple rings of security, which is what you're supposed to do when you have high-value protectees such as the president, other heads of state, and they're able to have a more intimate smaller setting which is a lot easier to control. [13:45:00]

ABEL: OK, President Trump, he's suggested moving this White House Correspondents' Dinner in the future to the new ballroom when it gets built. While that might create an issue for the Correspondents Association, do you think when presidents do attend the dinner, that it can return to the Washington Hilton where so much is open to hotel customers? And is tonight a litmus test for that in some ways?

HARVIN: Yeah, we're in uncharted waters. I've been very public about my criticism about this administration as well as DHS. But I will say this, I really like the fact that President Trump is having another go at it. You can't let individuals like this stop something that's a time-honored tradition. I'm glad that they're able to do this at the Waldorf Astoria.

If, you know, if they find a place that's secure, that they should do in the future, I think they should look at that. I don't know if the ballroom's the best place. That's a political decision. But at the end of the day, it really hones back to the original point, which is the U.S. Secret Service. Irrespective of what venue, who's coming, how many people, they really need to be on top of their A-game because the threat environment for our president is the highest that we've ever been since we've been alive.

You have not only domestic actors, but you have violent non-state actors and international threats to this president. And so it's well- known, it's well-documented, and they need to do everything they can to make sure President Trump is safe, regardless of where it happens.

ABEL: And to your point, showcased by the previous assassination attempts before April's Correspondents' Dinner. Donell Harvin, appreciate your time. Thank you. Brianna?

KEILAR: Now to some of the other headlines that we're watching this hour. A CNN crew witnessed a confrontation between the Philippines and China in the South Sea. You're seeing it here, a Chinese ship firing a water cannon at a Philippine vessel near the contested Scarborough Shoal, a sandbar not far from the Philippines that is rich in marine resources. The shoal is claimed by both countries. This is the third tense confrontation between China and the Philippines in the contested waters this week.

Also, singer Chris Brown pleaded guilty to affray, which is a very British legal term for disturbing the peace, in a London courtroom today over a 2023 nightclub fight with a music producer. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped more serious charges of assault attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and having an offensive weapon. Brown was released on bail, but he faces a maximum of three years in prison at his sentencing in October.

And two men are expected to survive after they were brutally stabbed in an unprovoked attack in New York City Thursday afternoon. Police are investigating these attacks as a suspected hate crime. One man was Asian and the other was Jewish. The two have multiple stab wounds across their bodies, according to authorities. The suspect, identified as 51-year-old Raul Morales, allegedly yelled 'Allahu Akbar' during the attacks. While police are still determining a motive here, Police Commissioner, Jessica Tisch says mental health may be a factor.

And coming up, a key FDA group is meeting to consider whether to ease restrictions on controversial but popular peptide medications. We'll have details ahead.

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[13:52:53]

KEILAR: Eight months after doctors told him that he had only months to live, former Senator, Ben Sasse is sharing a personal update on his battle with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer.

ABEL: He recently sat down with CNN's Jake Tapper for an emotional conversation about facing death and what comes after.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN SASSE, FORMER U.S. SENATOR: I felt the heaviness of death being terrible and obviously, not wanting your wife to go through being widowed or your kids to be orphaned, to lose their dad. But I just felt at peace that death is real. I've always known we're all on the clock. And to get a finite number felt horrible, but not surprising.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR & CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Your faith is, it always has been remarkable, but never more so, I think, as somebody who's long admired and covered you, during this period. Just your supreme confidence in what happens next and that you will see your loved ones again. Do you ever have any moments of doubt about any of it?

SASSE: I mean --

TAPPER: Let me just say, I envy it. I wish I felt that way. I think there are a lot of people probably watching who think, God, what a gift.

SASSE: I think death is wicked, but I don't think it's a surprise to any of us who reckon hard with a conscience that says we're broken, this world is broken, things are not as they should be. So to your direct question, no, I don't doubt it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: And CNN's Jake Tapper is here with us now and certainly, a sobering conversation, Jake. What else did he tell you?

TAPPER (on camera): Yeah. Well, death is the one thing, and it's also something we almost never talk about --

KEILAR: Yeah.

TAPPER (on camera): -- in society. So it was very intense.

[13:55:00]

I went to Omaha, Nebraska, where he was. We went to the College World Series with him and his 15-year-old son, Breck. And then we went to his house by the river in Fremont, Nebraska, where I sat down with him and his wife, and we just talked about what they're going through, knowing that he has limited time left on the clock and what that experience is like. And the reckoning that he is going through this publicly, so that we all can kind of discuss it. It was just very meaningful.

KEILAR: It helps a lot of people that he talks about it, because I think that's one of the things about death, is it's so isolating. And I think a lot of people will connect to, especially that exchange that you had there, it was really quite amazing. Can you talk more about the treatment that he's undergoing?

TAPPER (on camera): He is using a -- he's a guinea pig for this pancreatic cancer treatment called Daraxonrasib. And it has -- he calls it a miracle drug. It has extended his life. He was diagnosed not only with pancreatic cancer, but with like four or five different kinds of cancer in December, and they said he had probably had three or four months to live.

Obviously, here we are in July, and he thinks it has bought him time. And while the treatment is not enjoyable, it is something that has given him more time with Breck, more time with his two daughters, more time with Melissa, his wife. Also, what he is doing is meaningful not just because, obviously, he's having this public reckoning with mortality.

That again, we talk about soldiers killed, but we don't talk about what that means to those family members. You know this as somebody who is a blue star spouse. And so, the other thing is, what he's doing is going to help people in the future who have pancreatic cancer because he is a test subject for this experimental drug.

ABEL: Jake, did he give you any idea of why he's deciding to come forward publicly and talk about this? Because this is getting a death diagnosis, arguably the hardest thing that a human being can go through.

TAPPER (on camera): Yeah, so I think he wouldn't put it this way, but I'll put it this way. He is at his heart, I think, an educator. Before he was in the Senate, he was the president of a college. He's obviously just a very brilliant guy who uses vocabulary, words that I have to then go look up.

(LAUGH)

TAPPER: It's very -- he does it all the time on text, and I'm like, OK, fine, Google. I think he is, as a man of faith and a man of education, president of the University of Florida because he thinks education is more in politics. I think he is trying to teach us all, as he said in that clip, we're all on the clock. As Mel Brooks once sang, "live while you're alive, no one will survive. And that's just true.

And so, I think he's just trying to talk to us about how we spend our days on this earth.

KEILAR: And how he regrets some of the days that he spent, right? He talked to you about that. What did he say?

TAPPER (voice-over): Well, he has this box that he showed us, full of hotel keys from when he was not only in the Senate, but also before that when he was, you know, making money. And he looks at it, and what it didn't mean to collect them. He kind of just like kept these electronic room keys and just threw them in a box, and then there's thousands of them. And he looks at that box, and he thinks, every one of those represents a dinner I didn't have with my family.

Obviously, he was earning for his family. He was supporting his family. It's not like he was, you know, behaving in a frivolous manner. What we prioritize, and that was also very meaning, and something that I'm sure all of us as journalists who travel a lot can also identify with.

KEILAR: That what he's going to -- he is going to miss the time with his family. That is --

TAPPER (voice-over): The thing he is saddest about is, I think it's fair to say, I mean, he's sad about all of it. He's sad about his wife. He's sad about his daughters, but Breck is 15. His little boy is 15, and I think his daughters are in their 20s. They've already launched their careers and such, and I think he's saddest about that. And Breck is a remarkable kid. I'm amazed that they -- I was honored to meet him while he's going through this.

KEILAR: Well, it's incredible. And thank you, Jake, for being here to share it with us. We do appreciate it.

TAPPER (voice-over): Thank you.

KEILAR: You can watch this, "The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper: Ben Sasse is Going Home: Lessons on Life and Death." That will be Sunday night at 8 here on CNN. It will also stream the next day on the CNN app.

And a new hour of "CNN News Central" starts right now.

A grim milestone doctors hoped we'd never reach again. The record- breaking number of measles cases taking over the U.S. for a second year in a row. Plus, a dramatic rescue after a seaplane, you see it here, is forced to do an emergency crash landing. How rescue crews managed to get everyone out alive, even after it burst into flames.

ABEL: And later, he is taking his talents to Philly.